Batting

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – In a key Conference Carolinas matchup in terms of seeding for the conference tournament, the King University baseball team took two-out-of-three from Pfeiffer University. The Tornado took Sunday's rubber match 6-3 behind a great start by pitcher Alex Gonzalez.

Gonzalez allowed an unearned run in the first inning, but recovered to retire seven straight batters. After the first inning, the junior only allowed three hits over six innings. The King offense was quick to respond to Pfeiffer's early run as Jose Sola laced a double to score Garrett Cook in the top of the second and even the score.

Tyler Gaby ignited the Tornado offense with a one-out single in the fifth inning. After a Steven Todoschuk walk, Josh Huffman crushed a three-run home run to put King (27-16, 12-9 CC) ahead. King added onto the lead with a Garrett Cook sacrifice fly in the seventh inning that scored Todoschuk and gave the Tornado a 5-1 advantage.

Gonzalez's day came to end in the seventh inning when Pfeiffer (18-26, 11-8 CC) plated a run. Gonzalez scattered five hits in seven innings of work while striking out nine and earning his seventh win of the season.

Cook tacked on an insurance run for King in the ninth as his single scored Huffman who walked earlier in the frame.

The Falcons scored on run in the bottom of the ninth, but Alex Martin got the final two outs to earn his fourth save of the season, giving King the 6-3 win. Huffman paced the Tornado offense going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Tom Hooker also chipped in with two hits while Cook drove in two runs.

King will be in action again on Monday when the host Carson-Newman College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.